Ribbed carton



Sept. 6, 1932. F. KRONENBERGER 1,376,063

RIBBED .CARTON 2 Filed May 11. 1928 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR v 7 ORNEY p 1932 F. KRONENBERGER 1,876,063

RIBBED clmwon Filed May 11, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fadinand Km iggr gar Sept. 6, 1932. F. KRONEINBERER RIBBED cmrou Filed May 11, 1928 I5 shoofcs she et 5 E I d mvsmoa ay l I a j ATTORNEY from the drawings, in w Patented Sept. .6, 1932 PATENT OFFICE FERDINAND KBONENBEBGEB,

OI BROOKLYN, NEW YORK BIIBBEID CARTON Application fled Kay 11', 1926.

This invention relates to egg cartons and contemplates the provision of a carton wrapper into which the eg s may be quickly and easily inserted and w ich is rovided with suitable reinforcing means which does not interfere with the folding of the wrapper, whereby the wrapper may be made of comparatively thin and inexpensive pa er while being adequately strengthened. y invention further contemplates the provision of improved cushioning means for the eggs made integral with the wrapper and the provision of improved egg'holding pockets for holding the eggs against undue displacement.

The various objects in my invention will be clear from the descriptiog1 wlliich follows, and

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a carton made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of part of the carton partly opened up to show the interior partitions or cell forming elements.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same withthe cover portion removed, showing different 7 types of cushioning indentations formed in the bottom of the carton.

Fig. t is a vertical transverse same. I

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of that part of the carton wrapper about the line where the wrapper is folded, showing the corner construction forallowing easy bending of the wrapper and for automatically bending the end rib about the projecting ends of the partition members on the folding of the wrapper.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of an auxiliary pocketed sheet which may be used in connection with my improved carton.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of a blank from which said sheet may be formed.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section of said sheet and of the partition members illustrated in Fig. 9 for supporting said sheet, in the opersection of the ative positions thereof.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of part of a modified form of carton, in which the pocketed cover sheet for the partition members is made integral with the remainder of the carton, and in which the bottom of the carton is Serial No. 276,871.

shaped to provide receiving cushion.

Fig. 10 is a transverse section of a ribbed carton in which the pocketed cover sheet above described is incorporated.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of part of the carton shown in Fig. 9, with the cover removed, and showing the egg-receiving cushions provided in the bottom of the carton.

Fig. 12 is a top view of that part of a ribbed sheet about the fold line thereof, showing the corner construction at the rib, which allows the sheet to be folded along a predetermined line without injury to the rib or to the remainder of the sheet.

Fig. 13 is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line 18-13 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the sheet shown in Fig. 12, showing the parts on the folding of the sheet at right an les.

ig. 16 is a view similar to 12, showing a corner construction for a sheet in which the direction of the ribs changes from con- 7 vex upwardly to concave.

Fig. 17 is a Vertical section of the same, taken on the line 1717 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the same 30 in the folded position thereof.

Fig. 20 is a view similar to Fig. 16 of the reversed rib, showing in dotted lines where score lines or creases can be made across the rib to allow the sheet to be folded through an 35 angle of 180.

Fig. 21 is a vertical section of same, taken on the line 21-21 of Fig. 20, and

Fig. 22 is a perspective view of the sheet shown in Fig.20, showing the arrangement of a modified form of egg- 7 the parts on the doubling over of the sheets.

In the practical embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated, the carton consists, generally, of a wrapper 25 in which 1ongitudinal partition members 26 and similar transverse partitions 35, preferably with bevelled corners, are arranged to form egg-re ceiving pockets or cells 36. Transverse ribs as 27 are made integral with and extend either convexlyoutwardly or convexly inwardly as the disposition of 70 I may be desired, from the wrapper throughout the entire width thereof, that is, from one edge to the other, said ribs being preferably substantially semi-circular in cross-section, and of substantial width and depth for reinforcing the sheet andfor cushioning the carton against shock. Said ribs also serve to form a series of cushioning platforms in the bottom of the wrapper. The end ribs 28, however, are preferably made of greater diameter and height than the ribs 27 for the purpose soon to be described, said end ribs terminating preferably in a comparatively narrow flat ledge .as 24.

Longitudinal.ribs as 29 are made preferably throughout the length of the wrapper 25 along both edges of the top 30 and the bottom 32. jSaid ribs 29 extend between the end ribs 28 and terminate along the predetermined fold lines on which the wrapper is to be folded. The ribs 29 may be quadrantal in cross-section, or the may be somewhat flattened, and lie entirei y in the top or bottom without extending into thee-sides of the wrapper. In order to allow the folding of the wrapper to form the top 30, the rear 31, the bottom 32, the front 33 and the closing flap 34, the ribs 27 or other transverse ribs which may project from the sheet, should be so constructed as to allow the ready folding of the wrapper thereacross along predetermined lines without injuring or deforming said ribs.

The construction for facilitating the folding of the wrapper across the ribs 27 will be more fully described in connection with the description of Figs. 12 to 22, inclusive.

The ribs 27 are spaced apart from center to center the proper distance so that the depressed ribs in the rear face'31 and the front 33 receive those ends 23 of the transverse partition members 35 which project beyond the longitudinal partitions 26. Said pa tition members 35 and 26 are collapsibly interlocked for extension in perpendicular relation -and form cells 36' for the reception of individual eggs, in a manner well-known in the art and which need not, therefore, be described in detail.

The fold lines 37, 38, 39 and 40 preferably in the form of crease or score lines are made lengthwise of the wrapper 26 and across the end rib 28. I prefer to position the fold lines along the terminal or outer edges of the longitudinal ribs, edge portion of the rib 28, a central, inwardly directed crease 41, and a pair of divergent outwardly directed terminal creases as 42, all of said creases meeting preferably at the inner end of the central crease 41.

It will be seen, therefore, that on the folding of the wrapper about the fold lines, the crease 41 tends to move inwardly of the wrapper, thereby flattening out the portions of the rib 28 adjacent to the fold line by and to preform in the the tension put thereon when the paper is bent, and drawing the rib 28 inwardly to the level of the tops of the ribs 27. When the folded portions 43 of the paper, between the lines 41 and 42, move inwardly and into contact with each other, a square reinforced corner is formed in the Wrapper, and the edge portion 24 of the rib 28 is curved about the extending end portions 44 of the longitudinal outer partition members 45.

Said extending portions 44 are thereby protected and enclosed by the terminal edges of the ribs 28, which aid in maintaining the partition members against movement within the, wrapper. The upper and lower corners of the projecting ends 44 are preferably bevelled or cut off to provide suflicient space for the infolding 0f the portions 43, the projecting ends of the transverse partitions being preferabl similarly bevelled.

As illustrated in t e left portion of Fig. 3, the bottom 32 of the wrapper is divided by the ribs 27 and 29 into a series of main platforms spaced above the surface on which.

the carton may rest and above the bottoms of the ribs. In order, however, to provide an auxiliary cushion at the bottom of the pocket 36 on which the egg rests, for further cushioning the egg against shock, I prefer to make additional outwardly or downwardly extending depressions of any desired shape in the bottom of each compartment.

In the compartments 4610f Fig. 3, I have shown said depressions in the form of a circular annular ring 47, in which the central portion 48 is undisturbed, and is allowed to remaln at the same level as the inner surface of the bottom. 49 of Fig. 3, I have shown the depression, in the form of elongated narrow and outwardly convex indentations 5O of less length than the compartments and substantially semicircular in cross-section, as are the depressions 47. As shown in the compartments 51. the depressions 52 are similar to the depressions 50 but extendfrom a point close to the rear face 32 to a point near the front 33 of the Wrapper. In each case, however, a portion is left between the depressions, which is at the same level as the remainder of the wrapper and which is yieldable to a considerable extent due to the indentations or auxiliary ribs around it, whereby the central flat bottom of the pocket may yield to some extent before the entire bottom of the compartment yields to the pressure put thereon.

Each of the indentations or depressions 47, 50 and 52 are preferably of less depth than that of the ribs 27. It will be seen that by this construction, anadditional central cushion, auxiliary to the main cushioning platform at the bottom of the compartment, may be provided in each pocket.

In order that the wrapper may be locked In the compartments 'mutilating the lock or after the eggs have been inserted into the various compartments, I provide a tab as 53 in the front flap 34, which tab is adapted to enter a slit 54 in the front 33. A pair of inwardly extending slits as 55 are made in the tab 53 so that said tab may become locked automatically on this insertion thereof into the slit 54 in a manner shown in detail in my prior Patent #1,476,822 dated December 11th, 1923 for paper lock.

Since the carton becomes automatically locked when the tabs 53 are inserted into their slits, I provide a special tear-ofi tab 61 for opening the box without disturbing the contents. Said tab 61 is formed by a slit or slot as 56, made preferably across the central rib 27 of the flap 34 and extending in an inclined direction toward the adjacent ribs. If desired, the prolongation of the slit 56 may be in the form of a scored line 57, so that the tab may be more easily torn on the scored line by the user, when it is desired to open the box for access to the contents. Extending from the tab 61 is an extension tongue 58 designed to passthrough the slot 59 made in the corresponding rib 27 of the front 33. Should it be desired to close the wrapper without looking the same, the tongue 58 is passed through the slot 59 and behind the lower part of the rib, whereby the cover 34 is frictionally held down in place, the tabs 53 being in the position shown at the right end of Fig. 1 outside of the slit 54. When the box is locked, however, and the tabs 53 inserted through their slits, the tongue 58 remains on the outside 0 the slot 59 and is readily accessible for lifting and being torn by an upward movement, so th: the box 1y be opened by partly tearing the top to expose the contents, without deforming the closed wrapper vat of shape.

Should it be desired to hold the eggs against movement in the various compartments or pockets, a pocketed cover for the tops of said compartments may be used. As illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive, such a cover may be made from the blank by cutting out the circular openings 71 in proper spaced relation, and making a series" of radial slits 72 extending outwardly from the edge of said opening a short distance. The Wall material, between the edge of the opening and the circle 74 joining the ends of the slits 72, may be bent downwardly to an inclined position to form a yieldable wall 73 engaging the egg, the opening 71 being thereby enlarged to receive the egg at the same time that the walls 73 are formed. The

,side walls 75 of the sheet are bent down at right angles to the top, about the fold lines 76, while suitable ribs as 77 may be pressed outwardly from the upper surface of the sheet and from the walls 75 to form a reinforcing means, strengthening the sheet and f sheet.

maintaining it in folded position and fitting into the ribs 27.

The finished cover 78, when so folded and ribbed, may be arranged in position on the tops of the partition members 35, 45 and 26, the cross members 35 partly entering the ribs, while the longitudinal partitions are held in place between the depending walls 73 of the adjacent pockets 83.

Should it be desired to make the partition covering member integral with the remainder of the wrapper, this may be done as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, by continuing the material of the front 33 to the proper height, and folding the sheet back to form the wall 80 adjacent to and in contact'with the inner face of the front 33.

The pocketed surface 81 is then bent at right angles to the wall 80 so that it stands horizontally, the wall 82 being bent upwardly from the rear edge of the surface 81 toward the top 30 of the wrapper. In the surface 81, the various pockets or recesses 83 may be formed in the manner hereinbefore described.

It will be seen that in this construction, the partition members may be made less than the normal height, since the cover 78 may hold the eggs below the tops thereof, and that the cover sheet 78 is prevented from lifting off the partition members by the engagement of the upper edge of the wall 82 with the inside of the carton top 30. As shown in Fig. 10, ribs may be made throughout the entire The ribs 84 and 85 in the walls 80 and 82 respectively, are, however, reversed in a direction opposite to that of the remaining ribs 27, so that said ribs 84 and 85 may enter the corresponding ribs in the walls of the wrapper adjacent thereto, as is wellillustrated in Fig. 10.

In Figs. 9 and 11, I have shown a. const-ruc- 7 tion for the bottom of the wrapper wherein a. modified form of egg-receiving and cushioning means is provided for each pocket. In said construction, comparatively wide ribs 90 convex inwardly, are made throughout the entire length-of the wrapper and are spaced apart so that the central one of the long transverse partition member may enter the space between them. Near the bottom center of each compartment, a downward indentation 91 is made in the rib 90, said indentation forming a receptacle adapted to receive the bottom of the egg, the rib 9O acting as a cushion at the bottom of the compartment. Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, I have there shown the bottom edges of the transverse partition members cut away as at 92, to fit easily about the ribs 90.

It will be understood that'said ribs 90 may be used in connection with a ribbed wrapper or a flat wrapper, as desired.

verse ribs 27 'is used, the central one of the longitudinal partitions 26 is made of less height than the remaining partitions (Fig. 4) since said remaining partitions enter the ribs ,27 so that their efi'ective heights are somewhat lessened. Reference has been made heretofore to the corner construction of the ribs 27 at the various fold lines of the wrapper, to allow the carton to be bent or folded without mutilating the ribs or injuring the wrapper. For this purpose, I have shown four constructions whereby the ribs may be bent through an angleof'90 or more whether the-ribs are reversed or not, or folded along a predetermined line just as easil as though no ribs have been formed in the s eet or wrapper.

Referring now to Figs. 12 to 15 inclusive, I have there shown a substantially elliptical, or triangular downward, convex depression 100 made in the rib 27. The bottom 101 of said depression is substantially fiat near its middle and lies sli htly above the plane of the fold line 102. second pair of indentations 103, downwardly concave about their peripheries and terminatin in the plane of the fold line 102, are ma e in the central portion of the indentation or depression 100. Said indentations 103 meet at a line 104 in alignment with the fold line 102. It will be seen that the surplus paper of the rib is disposed by said indentations in such a manner that little or no resistance is offered by the rib to the folding thereof on the line 104, the narrow portion 105 between the outer edge of the indentations 103 and the outside of the indentation 104 being substantially horizontal.

Figs. 16 to 19 inclusive, illustrate the corner construction preferably used where a rib is reversed from concave to convex on the same sheet, as is the case in Fig. 10, between the ribs 85 and the ribs 77. The construction there is somewhat similar to that just described in connection with Figs. 12 to 14 excepting that the indentations 103 are omitted, and the indentation 100 is made deeper. As illustrated in Figs. 16 to 18, the

indentation 106 is substantially half the size of the indentation 100 and extends'downwardly from the convex rib 110. A similar indentation 107 is made in the reverse side of the concave rib 111. The bottom of the indentation 106 and 107 lies substantially in the plane of the flat portion of the sheet, so that at the fold line 102, a flat portion 112 is formed, in alignment with the line 102. It will be seen, therefore, that the rib may be readily folded or bent across the flat portion 112, which has a crease or score line made therein to facilitate the folding.

Referring now to Figs. 20 and 22 inclusive, I have there shown a sheet in which the rib changes from convex to concave, and I have also shown in dotted lines, the line along which a crease may be made to allow the folding over of the sheet along the fold line 102, whereby the concave rib 111 enters the convex rib 110.

The rib 110 continues across the fold line 102 andintersects the rib 111 whereby the latter rib contains the rounded portion 115. If the sheet is not to be folded, the portion 115 remains unaltered. If the sheet is to be doubled over, however, a score or crease 116 is made across the rib 110, said crease 116 running back along the rib 110 from the fold line. When the sheet is folded, the rib 111 enters the rib 110 While the portion 115 between the line 116 and the end of the convex rib bends underneath the rib 110, as shown in Fig. 22.

' This construction is particularly useful when a ribbed sheet is to be folded back on itself, as for instance, in the carton illustrated in Fig. 10 wherein the rib 84 of the wall 80 enters the adjacent rib in the wall 33.

Referring now to my improved carton, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, it will be seen that the wrappers 25 may. be nested and thereby shipped in a compact and accessible manner, and that the partltion members may be similarly ship ed, as is customary. To fill the carton wit 1 eggs, a series of wrappers may be spread out in overlapping relation with the bottoms 32 thereof exposed. A seup to rm square compartments and inserted in their proper positions in the bottoms 32, and where ribs 27 are provided, inserting theends of said members into the ribs. A layer of eggs may then be taken from the crate, which are usually packed in three-dozen layers, and the eggs simultaneously inserted into the compartments provided by the cartons, arranged as above described. Each carton with its partition members and eggs arranged therein may be then separated from the remaining cartons and temporarily locked in one encircling movement by raising the front 33 from its horizontal position, thereby folding the wrapper about the fold lines, and at the end of the movement, inserting the tongue 58 through the slot 59, or inserting the tabs'53 into their slits 54.

During the folding operation, the creases 41 at the corners of the outer ribs 28 move inwardly, the portions 43 adjacent to the crease lines 42 folding inwardly into contact with each other, and thereby not only depressing the ribs 28 to the level of the ribs 27, but also reinforcing the corner of the wrapper and drawing the rib 28 about the projecting ends 44 of the partition members 45, so that said members become locked in position at the ends when the wrapper is folded,

1f the ribs 53 are not inserted into the slits 54, the carton is left open for inspection and may be later locked by simply raising the 'ries of fpartition members are then opened front 34 and then inserting the tabs 53 into the corresponding slits 54 provided for that purpose. The eggs in the various compartments are fully protected against shock by the cushion formed in the bottom of each compartment. The various ribs not only serve to brace the wrapper and thereby, to strengthen and reinforce it, but serve also to receive the partition members-and to absorb the shock or blows to which the carton may be subjected, and serve, further, to space the top and bottom of the carton as well as the sides, from any surface with which the carton may come in contact. If the ribs are made outwardly concave, the partition members do not enter thereinto, but merely contact with the inside of the wrapper.

It will be seen that I have provided strong, eflicient and durable means capable of ecogo nomical manufacture for carryin eggs safely, into which the eggs may lee rapidly packed, and which is adapted to be quickly and easil locked to seal the eggs therein. It

will furt ier be seen that I have provided a 5 carton structure which, while capable of being provided with bracing ribs, may be readily folded into the desired form and when so folded, provides efficient cushioning pockets for supporting the bottoms of the eggs, and a strong corner construction.

While I have illustrated and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto but intend to 4 tion as broadly as is permitted by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an egg carton a wrapper, parallel transverse ribs in said wrapper, end ribs at the ends of said wrapper of greater width than height than the remainder of the ribs and fold lines 41, 42, 43 in the end ribs whereby on the bending of the wrapper the end ribs are tensioned at the fold lines and reduced in height, and a portion of each end rib folds inwardly. v

In a carton, a wrapper having transverse end ribs thereon and having longitudinal fold lines dividing it into top, bottom and side portions and a flap, a ledge projecting from the terminal edge of each end rib, an inwardly directed crease in the rib adjacent a fold line and substantially at right angles to the edge of said ledge, and a pair of outwardly directed creases extending in an inclined direction from the edge of the ledge to the inner end of said first-named crease, whereby on the folding of the wrapper the portion of the wrapper between said creases is folded inwardly lessening the height of said rib and curving said rib through a greater arc.

In an egg carton made .up of a cellforming iiiler enclosed in a wrapper, a wrapper having longiigzd nal outwardly embossed claim my inven-,v

corru ations, and transverse outwardly embosse corrugations intersecting said longitudinal corru ations, the wrapper at the intersections o transverse and longitudinal corrugations being concaved whereby such points will not break when the blank is bent at such points.

4. Inan egg carton made up of a cellforming filler enclosed in a wrapper, a wrapper comprising a blank having bending lines dividing it into top, bottom and side portions and a flap, outwardly embossed longitudinal corrugations, said bendin lines lying adjacent outwardly embosse corrugations which intersect the longitudinal corrugations, inwardly embossed concavities at points of intersection of said corrugations whereby breakage at such oints is prevented when the blank is bent, sai blank being longer than the length of the filler whereby when the filler is enclosed in the wrapper the side edges of the latter may be turned inwardly to lock the filler from longitudinal motion.

FERDINAND KRONENBERGER. 

